The best of the Kala Ghoda Festival

By Deepali Dhingra |Posted 02-Feb-2014

Nine days of celebrating the arts, culture, literature, theatre and music are here. That’s right, the Kala Ghoda Festival that kicked off yesterday in the city has lots in store for everyone. DEEPALI DHINGRA picks six events she thinks you should definitely be a part of

MusicSpud in the box

This six-member alternative rock band from Mumbai has certainly been around. Formed in March 2011, it involves the musical energies of Zubin Bhathena on bass, Rohan Rajadhakshya on vocals and keyboards, Ankit Dayal on vocals and guitar, Joshua Singh on drums and Hartej Sawhney and Siddharth Talwar on guitars. Not only have they opened for and played alongside some of the biggest acts in India like Indus Creed, Junkyard Groove and Raghu Dixit, they also opened for international artist, Norah Jones in Mumbai last year.When: February 7, 6.30 pmWhere: Cross Maidan

ChildrenMusical Storytelling: Dashavatara

Hyderabad-based education consultant Deepa Kiran will be holding a 45-minute session for children above six, to tell the story of Dashavatara, the Indian mythology tale, however, in English. Since it’s musical storytelling, she will also be wearing jingles on her feet, as well as clappers on her hands. “I will also have other folk instruments with me. I will play the iktara, shankh, dhol, to bring alive the telling. I will also break into poetry, dance and song through the session,” says Kiran. When: February 6, 5 pm-6.30 pmWhere: Museum Gardens

DanceSampradayam by Mallika Sarabhai

The accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer will perform on the final day of the festival. India’s Bhakti movement of the medieval period has close resemblance to Islamic Sufism, which appeared around the same time. The emotional momentum of Bhakti yoga is considered to be the surest bet to enlightenment. Bhajans always played a vital role in generating a great spiritual force towards salvation. Sampradayam, choreographed by Sarabhai, stresses the change in pace and momentum that the music highlights, the frenzy of the tempo of bhajans and kirtans.When: February 9, 6.45 -7.45 pm Where: Cross Maidan

FoodSuch a tart

If sugar-free, gluten-free cakes and chocolate truffles are on your mind, then head to this workshop being hosted by Aashiyana Shroff of Tart. Shroff, who is hosting a workshop for the first time, says, “I specifically chose these dishes as a lot of people are interested in knowing about sugar-free and gluten-free dishes. Also, I chose these so that people can easily prepare them at home.” When: February 6, 1 pm-3 pmWhere: Westside

Visual artsGibson GuitART for Good

The project is a three-fold one, which consists of an auction (GuitART Auction), a contest that’s open to everyone (Virtual GuitART) and 10-foot installations (GuitART Installations) to bring awareness to charities such as MARD and Art for Akanksha. The auction has six hugely accomplished Indian artists painting one guitar each, which will then be auctioned. The artists are Brinda Miller, Arzan Khambatta, Jaideep Mehrotra and Sunil Padwal from Mumbai and Paresh Maity and Seema Kohli from Delhi. Heena Kriplani, Gibson Brands Inc, India says, “We are firm believers in the power of music and the arts to do good. The arts bring together the unlikeliest of people to create unimagined beauty. The Kala Ghoda Association through the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has been working towards a similar goal for 15 years now. We met to talk about the possibilities, and Gibson GuitART for Good came out of that.”When: Till February 9Where: Coomaraswamy Hall

LiteratureCyrus Mistry

Gieve Patel and Ranjit Hoskote will be in conversation with Cyrus Mistry, the winner of the DSC prize for his novel Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer. Speaking about the event, Hoskote says, “Both Gieve and I have known Cyrus for a long time. We’re going to be talking not only of the book that’s won the prize but also his earlier book, The Radiance of Ashes and also his work as a playwright. It’s going to be a conversation that engages Cyrus at a multiple level — as a Bombay writer, playwright as well as novelist.” He adds that through this event, they also want to celebrate Cyrus’ recent win. When: February 7, 8.45 pm-9.45 pmWhere: David Sassoon Library